U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell is warning President Barack Obama and top officials negotiating the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership to ensure the tobacco industry is not negativity impacted in the trade deal.

On Thursday, the Senate majority leader sent a letter to Ambassador Michael Froman, the top trade representative of the Obama administration, calling on tobacco to be protected in the massive trade deal that some say is close to wrapping up. Pure Politics obtained the letter on Friday from McConnell’s staff.

McConnell, R-Ky., has previously written Froman twice on the subject of protecting tobacco in the negotiated deal, once in 2012 and again in 2013.

In the letter sent Thursday, McConnell tells Froman that he is “very optimistic about the potential for Kentucky’s manufacturing workers and farmers — including its thousands of tobacco growers — from new export opportunities facilitated by a completed TPP agreement.”

The crop is agriculturally significant to Kentucky, which ranks second in the nation for tobacco production. In 2013, Kentucky exported $300 million worth of tobacco, McConnell said in the letter.

Washington, D.C., outlet The Hill wrote about the letter on Friday afternoon signaling the potential tough road ahead for the TPP in Congress.

Obama was granted fast-track trade in large part with McConnell’s help in June. The Hill writes that McConnell won’t be able to block a vote, but either chamber could sink the deal based on a majority vote.

In Kentucky, the TPP issue is already on the radar of the Kentucky Farm Bureau, which worries about the consequences, and Republican agriculture commissioner candidate Ryan Quarles.

On Thursday, Pure Politics wrote on Quarles’ campaign emailing supporters of the situation and soliciting donations.

Nick Storm

Nick Storm is the Anchor and Managing Editor of Pure Politics available exclusively on Spectrum News. Pure Politics is the only nightly program dedicated to Kentucky politics. Nick covers all of the political heavyweights and his investigative work brings to light issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, like his coverage of the backlog of DNA rape kits waiting to be tested in Kentucky. Nick is also working on a feature length bio documentary Outlaw Poet: A documentary on Ron Whitehead. Pure Politics airs weeknight at 7 and 11:30 on Spectrum News. Follow Nick on Twitter @NStorm_Politics. Nick can be reached at 502-792-1107 or nicholas.storm@charter.com.